The Lovely Times at Aaa High
by FanTyger
Summary: Prince Bubba Gumball is wanting the girl of his dreams, Fionna, on his arm for the upcoming Fall Formal at Aaa's public high school. Will he muster the courage to step out of his comfort zone and like what the blonde warrioress likes? And what will happen when they realize that another love is blooming under their midst? FionnaXGumball, MarshallLeeXMaleOC
1. Chapter 1

"They're this really cool band from the NetherRealms. No one's heard of them, but I pretty sure you'd like them."

"Alright, cool."

Prince Bubba Gumball looked at the girl in front of him with a happy and semi-dazed smile, not even noticing his lab partner put the metal tray with a dead frog on it on their table. She was so beautiful, blonde hair making a perfect swoop over her right eye as the rest of it was in an amazing ponytail. He sighed contentedly, smile growing a bit bigger when he thought she looked his way.

"Gumball. Are you with us?" his red haired partner asked, looking at his friend.

"Huh? What? Sorry, Liam, I was just..."

Liam glanced at what preoccupied Gumball and smirked when he saw the girl.

"Staring at a girl." Liam finished, chuckling.

Gumball sighed, looking from the girl to his friend Liam. The two had been friends for years, Liam happily supporting the prince from the background by giving him advice and protecting him with the mystic arts when the local heroine (and girl of his dreams), Fionna, was away on some adventure with her cat, Cake. He didn't know what he would do without his intelligent and reading-glasses-wearing friend, and he was glad that Liam had decided to come out of the shadows of his shyness, making his own path in life. The red head even started to cut his hair to at least where it would touch his shoulders, and wear brighter, more attention-grabbing colors. His friend was evolving into a more confidant person, and Gumball was glad to be by his side.

"Was I that transparent?" Gumball asked.

"No, but your deep, infatuated, puppy-dog eye gaze gave it away." Liam stated before getting an idea. "You should ask her to the Fall Formal."

Gumball bit his bottom lip and a blush rose in his pink cheeks. Ask Fionna to the dance?

"I don't know, Liam. I thought we agreed the Formal was going to be stupid and just full of popular jerks."

"The event's looking up, and what better way to go about it than have the girl of your dreams on your arm? Carpe diem!"

"What does the 'fish of the day' have to do with this?"

"You haven't been studying your Latin, have you? 'Seize the day', Bubba. You can do this."

Gumball looked from Liam to Fionna, biting his bottom lip. He was never one for action, but what harm could asking her really do? If she said yes...

"Liam, do me a favor and switch lab partners with me?"

"Are you serious?" Liam asked, excitement rising in his voice.

"It's initiative, right? Never know unless you try."

Liam grinned, looking from Gumball to Fionna's partner, going towards the teen with pale blue skin. Gumball went over to Fionna, who was looking at the science textbook.

"Uh, Fionna?" Gumball asked, gaining her attention. "Liam and I had to switch lab partners, so you have me now."

"Okay, cool." Fionna said, smiling.

Gumball smiled as well, looking back at Liam. Liam snuck him a smirk while Fionna's previous partner, Marshall Lee the Vampire King, was looking at the book.

"So. Frogs. I don't think the act of cutting up amphibious creatures is going to prepare us for the real world." Gumball joked.

"Wanna cut up this thing or what?" Fionna said with a smile.

Gumball's eyebrows rose as he took the scapel from Fionna. Was she really this excited for violence? Girls weren't...really like that, were they?

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

'This is going to be fun...' Gumball thought.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, I heard you were into magic."

Liam looked at the vampire with a small smile as they travelled from the classroom and on the way out of the school.

"You heard correctly. I've been studying the mystic arts for...all of my life, I think. My mom and dad wanted me to know what it was like to be a very powerful sorcerer, and I've been working everyday to fulfill their wish."

"That's pretty cool." Marshall said, looking at Liam.

"It's funny how you know something about me, but I know nothing about you."

"Well, I like long walks on the beach at night, things that are red, puppies, and my bass."

"Really? Puppies?" Liam asked, skeptical.

"Yeah. On one such occasion, I was taking a midnight stroll with my red axe-bass in hand, and I came onto a basket, full of zombie puppies. They oozed with blood and their skin was just...sliding off of them. Let's just say there weren't any more puppies after that."

"You are so twisted, Marshall."

Marshall grinned and opened his black umbrella, shielding himself from the sun as they stepped on the outside of Aaa's public high school.

"So, are you doing anything after school?" Marshall asked, floating beside the red head.

"You mean...right now?" Liam asked, chuckling. "No, I'm not. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking that we could...hang out or something."

"At your place?" Liam asked.

"Yeah, unless you want to go to your-"

"No, your house is...is fine." Liam replied quickly.

Marshall looked at Liam, wondering why he replied so fast. He didn't want to push, but the answer had to come up sometime. Liam moved some of his semi-long hair out of his face as they start to walk towards Marshall's home.

"So, what are you doing after school, Fionna?"

"Oh, you know. Adventuring, kicking butt, playing video games. The regular stuff. You?"

'Think, Gumball, think. There has to be something that you're doing that she'd be interested in.' He thought.

"I'm planning on going to the, uh..."

He looked around and saw a poster for the Heavy Metal Death-Match in the Land of Aaa's coloseum tomorrow night. It advertised blood and gore, making him smile. This had to be the thing that she was interested in.

"The...Heavy Metal Death-Match."

Fionna stopped and gawked at him with a wide grin.

"No way! You're so lucky!"

"I could get us both tickets. That is, if you want to go."

"That would be so awesome! You're the best!"

Gumball nervously smiled, wondering how he was going to get those tickets.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, here we are." Marshall said, grinning.

Liam looked around the musty living room with raised eyebrows. He was half expecting some Gothic decor, black lights, maybe even some bean bags. The customary belief was wrong, at least.

"It's...really nice." Liam said, tucking some of his hair behind his ear. "It's certainly not what I expected."

"What did you expect?"

"A coffin?" Liam responded, shrugging. "Maybe a black bean bag chair somewhere?"

"I was meaning to get those, but I really don't sleep or sit on anything, so watch out if you're getting on the couch. I haven't used it at all." Marshall said, gesturing to his floating form and then the couch.

"I can fix that." Liam said, smirking and facing the palm of his hand towards the couch. "Revitalize."

Green energy came from the red head's hand and swirled around the old couch, giving the musty and disheveled thing the look and feel of when it was first bought so many years ago. Liam breathed out a small laugh before falling backwards, exhausted from the use of all of that energy. Marshall caught Liam before he hit the ground, looking at him with worry.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, it's just that I didn't know it would take that much to bring your couch to it's former glory..."

Marshall carried Liam to the couch, lying the sorcerer down on the now soft red cushions. Liam smiled a bit, looking at the vampire.

"Look at us. We just met, and already I'm on your couch."

Marshall chuckled, moving a strand of jet black hair out of his face.

"So, uh, what do you wanna do?" Marshall asked.

"Other than lay here and kinda rest up? I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I could play you something on the bass. Can you sing?"

"A little. I used to be in the choir at my middle school. We even went to Nationals once. It was amazing, seeing all of the kids wanting to sing and show their talent to the world. My instructor ruined it for us, though, by pushing us too hard. I think that was the only time in my life that I couldn't sing. We get on stage and make the most pathetic noises ever. Let's just say that I wasn't in choir anymore."  
Marshall and Liam laughed a bit together, looking at each other. Marshall smiled, putting his head in his arms on the couch.

"Tell me another story..." He said, chuckling.

"Please, Peppers? You're the only one who can get those tickets."

The Peppermint Maid sighed, dusting off the various items that Prince Gumball had in his room. Sure, it was possible that she could get the tickets...

"I just don't think that sort of event is right for a young prince like yourself."

"Pleeeeeaseee? It's for a girl!"

Peppermint Maid turned around, eyes widened and in serious mode.

"Are you contemplating going to an event of blood and gore to impress a girl in the most serious fashion?"

"Yes...?" Gumball answered, a bit startled by Peppermint Maid's fierce expression.

Peppermint Maid created a swirling portal of what seemed to be dark energy, hopping into it and popping out in a matter of five seconds. She held the tickets to the Heavy Metal Death-Match in one hand and a collage of gory movies in the other.

"Peppers, what-?"

"You will need to prepare. At your current state, you will faint and the girl will be unimpressed."

"My current state? Wait, 'unimpress'-"

Peppermint Maid led the Prince to his television, and chained him to a chair in front of it.

"You will stay awake, or I will smack you with this ruler five times just for falling asleep."

"Isn't this a bit much?"

Peppermint Maid smacked the ruler across Prince Gumball's face with a frown.

"Let the learning begin." she said, turning on the first gory movie, which had the title of "The Hills Have Eyes".


	4. Chapter 4

Liam laughed as Marshall continued to tell his tale. The young sorcerer had a little more energy, so he sat up as the vampire acted out his story.

"So, there I was, the Ice Queen completely and utterly cramping my style. I remembered this spell that my ex-girlfriend taught me, to amplify the sound waves of an object ten times or so, and knew that this was the thing to get her off my stage. I muttered the spell, my axe-bass glowing with red energy, and strummed this awesome chord. Sound waves smacked the Ice Queen in the face and launched her out of the venue. Good thing it was at night or I might've died right there and then."

"Wow. You live this life full of...excitement and adventure, and you look like any other teen. It's crazy. The girls must be jumping onto you."

"Yeah, well, I kind of wish I could be like you: a regular teen who could care less who pays attention to him, as long as they're nice."

Liam looked down and Marshall tilted his head, wondering if he said something wrong.

"The background isn't all that pleasing. You only have yourself as company most of the time, and when people do talk to you, it's to ask what the answer is to question four, or threaten you to do their homework. Besides, you...you don't want to be like me."

"Why not? You seem to be doing okay in your lot in life."

"Yeah, as the ridicule of the local teenaged sorcerer's group for actually practicing magic, and as an or-"  
Marshall looked at Liam, who had halted the word quickly.

"It's okay, Liam. You can tell me."

Liam sighed, tucking the left part of his hair behind his ear.

"You know how I mentioned my parents earlier?" he asked, looking at Marshall.

The vampire nodded.

"Well, they're...dead. They have been, since I was...seven or so. I was living on my own for a while, stealing what I needed to get by. Gumball saw my plight, and decided that if he was going to be an effective ruler of the Candy Kingdom, he needed to take pity on the less fortunate. So, he brought me to the Candy Kingdom, where I was raised by the court wizard, Faren-WinterMint. The knowledge I have now about the mystic arts, I learned from Master Faren. He was like a father to me, and while I grew into my early teens, he lie on his deathbed. The world had taken it's toll on him, and his last words were that of gratitude to whatever force brought us together. I was his son in bond, and he told me that he was so proud of me. I think that I was the one that cried the most at his funeral fire, because I didn't just lose another friend or caregiver; I lost another father. That's why I've been pushing myself to master magic, to make both my parents and Master Faren truly proud."

"I'm sure you're making them prouder and prouder every day, Liam."

"Sometimes...I'm not so sure."

Marshall moved to put an arm around Liam, the red head leaning against him. The two stayed like that for a few minutes until Liam looked at the clock on the wall.

"It's late. I, uh, I better get home..." Liam stated, getting up.

"It's pretty dangerous out there at night." Marshall said, standing up with Liam. "You could stay here, it being the weekend and all, and go home in the morning, when it's safer."

"You're worried about my safety?" Liam asked, looking at Marshall.

"Yeah. I mean, you're my friend."

"I don't think that the school outcast and resident bad boy are usually BFF's by nature."

"Since when are you, a sorcerer, or I, a vampire, bound by human nature?"

Liam smiled a bit, nodding.

"Okay, I'll stay."

The Peppermint Maid opened the door to Prince Gumball's bedroom with a tray of tea in hand, smiling when she saw Prince Gumball with a bored expression on his face.

"I see that you've gotten over your initial horror, Prince."

"I've been sitting like this for hours. There's nothing more to it than gratuitious blood and gore. Is this what the Heavy Metal Death-Match is going to be like?"

"Oh, no. This is only half of the battle."

Peppermint Maid set down the tea and pulled a few CD's out from her apron. The covers depicted violent scenes of murder, gothic situations, or skulls with snakes coming out of them. Prince Gumball cringed a bit at the images, looking at Peppermint Maid.

"What are those for?"

"The 'Heavy Metal' part of the Death-Match."

Peppermint Maid went to Gumball's stereo, turning it up to near-maximum volume. She grabbed the remote and stepped safely out of the room after putting all of the CD's in the stereo's disc holders. She pressed play, smiling when she heard Gumball's anguished cry.

"See you in a hour or two...if you can still hear me..."

"Oh my Glob, the Prince asked you out?!"

Fionna sighed, brushing her hair gently and getting ready for bed. Cake did have a knack for taking a mile out of an inch.

"No, Cake, he didn't ask me out. He just asked me to go to the Heavy Metal Death-Match with him tomorrow night."

"Mmhmm. Are you going to be paying for the tickets to this event?"

"No...?"

"Are you going to meet him there, or is he going to take you?"

"Take me...?"

"And was it his idea to go?"

"Yes. Are you going anywhere with this?"

"Honey, that's a date."

"It is not! We're just going to go see blood and gore as friends."

"Alright, alright, whatever you say, Fionna. Good night."

Fionna looked in the mirror, wondering about the event. Was it really a date, and did Prince Gumball actually see her as more than friends? She stopped the brush and put it down on the counter. She would get the answer tomorrow night, apparently.

"Yeah." Aaa's warrior princess sighed. "Goodnight."


	5. Chapter 5

"Wow. This movie is...really depressing. Aren't Geisha supposed to be pretty and carefree?"

Liam looked at the vampire, who was munching on popcorn with a look on his face that didn't hide his disappointment, and shrugged. Marshall had borrowed a few movies from his ghost friends, and the collection included _Resident Evil: Afterlife_ and _Memoirs of A Geisha_. The previous was a bit of a disappointment, more so in Marshall's eyes because he loved the Resident Evil video game series, so they decided to watch the latter to forget about Afterlife.

"I think it's more about the journey and suffering that Sayuri goes through and not the generalizations of the painted world that Geisha occupy."

"You think a lot about these things, don't you?"

"I guess." Liam said, chuckling a bit.

Liam reached for a bit of popcorn, meeting Marshall's hand at the bottom of the bowl. The two looked at each other for a few seconds, Liam pulling his hand back.

"S-sorry..." Liam muttered, looking back at the movie.

Marshall sighed, and realized that now was the best opportunity to ask the question that had been bugging him for the majority of the night.

"Liam, do you, uh..."

"Do I...what?"

"Do you like guys?"

"Are you asking me if I like guys in general, or if I like guys in a romantic way?"

"The latter."

"Yes, I like guys." Liam chuckled. "Why?"

Marshall bit his lip, wondering how Liam was going to take his next question.

"Do you like me? As in more than friends?"

Liam looked at Marshall before looking down at the ground.

"Yes...I do. I've kinda h-had a crush on you since I met you, that night in the park. Do you r-remember?"  
Marshall thought about it, and a memory popped into his mind:

_"Help! Somebody help me!"_

_Marshall heard someone's cries, wondering what was going on. If there was any mischief, maybe he could help out in it. He flew to where he heard the yells, and saw a teen keeping up a magical shield to block themselves from skeletons trying to rob them of their flesh. Their hair was long and in their face, covering up most of their fearful expression and making it hard to discriminate what gender they were. The shield started to crack, and the vampire remembered Fionna's words about helping the innocent. Sighing, he took his axe-bass in hand, slicing through the beings of bone easily. He helped the teen up, the red head standing to their feet._

_"Th-thanks, for th-the help."_

_"No problem. Ever think of getting a haircut? I mean, the long hair thing doesn't seem to be working for ya."_

_"S-sorry. I, um, have to go. Th-thank you, again."_

_The red head scurried away, leaving Marshall alone in the dark._

"That was you...wasn't it?"

"Yes. My hair was really long back then. I looked like a girl, didn't I?"

"Yeah...you kinda did." Marshall answered, thinking back on it.

"It doesn't matter though. I mean...the Vampire King is only into girls. What chance do I have?"

"...'Into girls', huh? I hope you're talkin' about another Vampire King."

Liam's eyes widened, the red head looking at his friend with a confused expression.

"But I thought you said you had an ex-girlfriend."

"You mean Ashley?"

Liam nodded, and Marshall sighed.

"Ashley...was a really bad decision on a Saturday night. It just so happened that she only wanted me to take care of her, feed her, be her butler. I broke up with her after she sold some of my stuff for this stupid wand. I managed to get it all back, though, and got to punch her in the face for doin' it, so that was a bonus."

Marshall smirked at Liam, leaning back on the couch while still floating.

"Besides, girls are too crazy for me. You're actually the only guy who's wanted to date me, so..."

"So...wh-what are we going to do about it?" Liam asked, looking at the vampire.

"I guess...I'll just have to do this."

Liam wondered what he was going to do in the few seconds that Marshall didn't do anything, a questioning glance filling his eyes.

"What are you going to-?"

Marshall kissed the red head on the lips, moving the sorcerer into a laying position with his back to the couch as he floated in the air above Liam. Marshall ended the kiss, grinning at Liam and earning a blush.

"O-oh." Liam whispered, looking at Marshall.

"So, I guess we're dating now."

"And I guess you're my boyfriend now. 'Boyfriend'. It's a little weird, saying it..."

"'Boyfriend'. Whoa, you're right."

"I wonder what everyone's going to say, when they see you with me?"

Marshall smirked, wrapping his arms around Liam.

"Let them say whatever they want."

(12 Hours From The Heavy Metal Death-Match. 9:00 a.m.)

"Oh. My. Glob."

Fionna looked at her reflection in the kitchen window with disbelief, holding a tuft of hair in her fingers. She looked at Cake and then back at the mirror.

"Is this a cowlick?!" Fionna asked.

"Yeah, it is. Uh, honey, isn't that the part that would be covered by your ha-?"

"I can't have a cowlick on my date!"

"I thought you didn't think of this as a date."

"Shut up, Cake."

Cake chuckled to herself, checking on and flipping over the large crepe that she was baking.

"Listen, Honey. It's normal for girls to have little overreactions when going on their first date. Do you remember how I was when I first started dating Lord Monochromicorn?"

"You mean the day where you almost destroyed our house looking for a pink bow to put in your fur and threw me through one of the windows when I was in your way?"

Cake's eyes narrowed, separating the crepe into two for her and Fionna to share.

"I...was just a little crazy."

"A little? I had bandages on my body for days!"

"Details. Anyway, it's normal. We can take care of your hair in time for your date. You are going to look great, and you're going to have the best time."

"It's going to be a complete disaster!"

Peppermint Maid sighed, knitting pink bubblegum bubbles into a violet scarf as Prince Gumball paced around the room.

"Once you're in your newfound element, you'll be fine-"

"What if she hates it? What if it's not...gory enough, or blood filled?"

"Prince Gumball, tonight is the 42nd Heavy Metal Death-Match. I think it's going to be bigger and better than its' 41 past incarnations."

"I'm sorry, Peppers. It's just that I want this to be perfect."

"I want this date to be amazing." Fionna said to Cake.

"I..." Prince Gumball started.

"Just..." Fionna continued.

"Don't..."

"Want..."

"To..."

"Mess up." The two said simutaneously, looking at their aids.

"It's okay, Fionna."

"You've prepared for this, my Prince."

"It's going to be fine." Cake and Peppermint Maid said.

Marshall looked at the red head in his arms, smiling at the cute little noises that he had made in his sleep. He put up this brave face around GumButt and everyone else, but when he was around Marshall, he was so shy. It was kind of hot, seeing Liam so bashful, and it made him wonder what would happen if he let some of his perverted jokes loose around the sorcerer. Morning light streamed through the NetherGlass tempered windows, and highlighted Liam's angelic features. He looked so...so peaceful in his slumber, and it made Marshall wonder if he ever looked like that, when he used to sleep. Now all he could do is just close eyes and fool people. He looked at Liam, who now whimpered.

"N-no...don't leave me..."

Marshall wondered what his love meant by that, and soon got his answer.

"Marshall, no...don't go..."

"Liam, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Now, come on, Red. Wake up."

Liam opened his eyes, looking up at Marshall.

"Good morning." Marshall greeted.

"Mmm...where did the moon go?" Liam said, stretching a bit.

Marshall kissed the sorcerer on the forehead, wrapping his arms around Liam a little tighter.

"So, what do you wanna do today? I mean, I've got nothing to do until tonight."

"Wh-what's tonight?"

"Some kind of Battle of the Bands thing at the Onyx night club. They wanted me to cover this song with a drummer, guitarist and singer. Bad news is, the singer and guitarist dropped out. Something about 'not wanting to work with such amateurs,' or 'not doing such an easy song' or whatever."

"What's the song?" Liam asked.

"_Heart Is A Hole_ by Cherri Bomb. Why they'd want to cover a hit by an all-female band, I'd never know."

Liam sat up, grinning.

"I love Cherri Bomb. I could help you out."

"Are you sure? I mean, I could find someone who-"

"Knows the words by heart?"

"...Is comfortable singing. I mean, you did say you haven't sung in a while."

"I can handle it. If you're so worried, we can test it."

Marshall smirked and grabbed a black bat-guitar from behind the couch. He tuned it a bit, strumming a few chords. He started to play a song that Liam recognized, making the red head smile.

"_Whenever I'm alone with you,_" Liam started to sing slowly. "_You make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again._"

Liam smiled and started to sway with Marshall's guitar playing.

"_Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am young again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am fun again. However far away, I will always love you. However long I stay, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you. I will always love you._"

"That was beautiful. I love you too." Marshall said, grinning and putting the guitar to his side.

"So...did I pass?"

Marshall wrapped his arms around Liam, looking at him.

"You'll always pass in my eyes. Oh, you'll have to wear something...Gothic."

"Gothic? Gothic how?"

"Well, we're all wearing red and black, so along the lines of that. The drummer and guitarist are supposed to come over for practice in an hour or two, so we've got a bit of time to ourselves. What do you want to do?"

"There's this sale of magical tomes at the bookstore. It's a more of a 'me' thing other than an 'us' thing, but they have a lot of rare editions-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. Lead me anywhere, and I'll follow."

"Even into the sun?" Liam asked, looking at him.

"Just let me put on my sunscreen."

Liam looked down, biting his lip.

"I wouldn't ever want to put you into harm's way."

Marshall smiled, squeezing him a bit and kissing him on the cheek.

"I know. Let's go and get your books."


	6. Chapter 6

(10 Hours From The Heavy-Metal Death Match)

Prince Gumball had paced so much that the Peppermint Maid sent him on his way. He ended up at the local bookstore, looking at romantic-fantasy novels. Insecurity popped up as every book he saw muscular guys, deserving of a woman like Fionna. He sighed as an amused scoff came from behind him.

"Romance novels? Blondie's got ya hooked, huh?"

"Marsh, come on."

Gumball turned around, seeing Marshall Lee and Liam behind him. They seemed closer than they usually were; they didn't really speak to one another during school.

_Liam must have gotten Marshall to be friends with him_, Gumball thought.

"Oh. Hello, Liam. Marshall Lee."

Marshall smirked and Liam turned to the vampire.

"I'm gonna look around, okay?"

"Don't take too long, or else I'll be counting the seconds." Marshall responded in a joking tone.

Liam laughed and went to shop while Marshall leaned against a book case while still floating. Why was Liam being so nice to him? He wasn't that funny, was he?

"So, how are things with you and Fionna?" Marshall asked the prince.

"How do you know-?"

"The puppy love eyes? Major clue for me."

Gumball bit the inside of his lip and looked away. Marshall smirked and patted the Prince on the back.

"Just be yourself, GumButt. Enjoy an evening with Blondie. She'll love it."

"You can't be yourself. There is no way a man of the Prince's stature will like a brutal warrioress with the manners of a trucker."

"I don't know, Cake. I think Prince Gumball is-"

"-NOT going to like you as you are. Believe me, you will not impress a man like him smashing the heads of zombies."

"But what if something happens? What if zombies do attack? We both know that Gumball can't fight."

"Don't worry, Honey. I'll take care of that."

(An Hour From The Heavy Metal DeathMatch, 8:00 P.M.)

"You want me to do **what**?"

"The gig is cancelled, Marshall. All you have to do is show up at the Heavy Metal Death-Match and-"

"I'm supposed to be hanging out with Liam though."

"Liam? The Prince's Advisor Liam? What would you want with him?"

"What does it matter to you? Besides, I don't think he's into the- Wait a sec, how did you know that the gig was cancelled?"

"Details. You don't have to bring him."

"If you want me to come, I'm bringing Liam."

Cake looked at her cell phone, wondering why Marshall was so adamant in bringing Liam along, but she didn't want to question it; Marshall scared the living daylights out of her.

"Okay, okay. Just come to the Death-Match tonight. Bring whoever you want."

Marshall looked at his phone, hearing the dial tone. He heard the noise of a door opening behind him, not bothering to see what it was.

"So...how do I look?"

Marshall looked behind him, seeing Liam. The sorcerer wore a tight pitch black tee with a bright red bat shape in the middle of it, a black long sleeved thermal shirt under that, black fingerless gloves made out of cotton, black skinny jeans, and skate shoes. His red hair was dyed black with carefully missed spots to form streaks, and straightened enough to have a loose curl. His face as a bit paler than usual, his eyes ringed lightly with black. Liam moved his hair out of his face, looking a little embarrassed.

"I...wow. You look amazing." Marshall said, completely drawn to his love's melancholic appearance.

"Do I? Really? I mean, I didn't know what to go with..."

"You aced it...it's just..."

"It's just...what?" Liam asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, you've got to act the part too. I don't think your personality fits the outfit. Not that you're not cute when you act like it, but you're too shy."

Liam looked down, thinking about it.

"I-I-I know you think sh-shy is s-sexy, Marshall...b-but this time..."

Liam looked up, smiling evilly. His once jade irises transformed into bright blood red. Marshall was a bit frightened: Did Liam take his words too close to heart?

"...You get to be the submissive one." Liam finished, smirking and changing his eyes back with a simple blink of the eyes.

"That. Was. CRAZY, Liam."

Liam smiled, looking down a bit and moving a strand of hair out of his face.

"It's too bad though. The gig's been cancelled, and Cake's asked us to go to the Heavy Metal Death-Match."

"The Heavy Metal...? Isn't that supposed to be really bloody, a-and gory?"

"Yeah. I didn't want to put you through it, but Cake's forcing me to go."

Liam sat down by Marshall, looking at him.

"I think it's only fair, that if you'll follow me anywhere, I'll follow you."

"I don't want to put you in danger." Marshall said, cupping Liam's face with his hand.

"I can handle myself." Liam said with a crossing of his arms and a small pout.

Marshall smirked back, semi-believing him. Sure, Liam was strong in the mystic arts, but if anything happened...

"Alright, alright. Come on. Let's go," Marshall said, gesturing with his head towards the window.

"We're going to walk there...right?" Liam asked, tilting his head to the left.

Marshall laughed, grabbing Liam's hand and floating with him. Marshall flew out of the window, going into the air with the sorcerer. Liam gasped a bit, looking around.

"To think someone who practices air magics has never flown before..." Marshall chuckled, holding onto the red head closely. "I could smell it on you. Makes you a bit more intoxicating."

Marshall moved Liam into a piggy-back position, grinning at his blush.

"Hold on tight..."


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay, Fionna. We've prepared for this. You are a lady of elegance, and you will not fight tonight, okay?"

"But Cake..."

"No buts, my Prince." Peppermint Maid said, straightening up Gumball's shirt. "You will enjoy yourself, and take care of Miss Fionna, all right?"

Fionna and Prince Gumball nodded, ready for their date.

"Looks like we're here." Marshall said, floating down and setting Liam on the ground.

Liam looked around the blood red arena, seeing all of the people in the stands. Were they really here for blood, gore, and death? It sickened him a bit, but if this is where Marshall needed to be...

"Yo, Marshall. Is that the singer?"

The two turned around and saw a young man with dark blue, almost black, hair wearing all black: a sleeveless top, combat pants, and boots. He had gauges in his ears, a lip ring and ochre eyes. Marshall nodded, looking at Liam.

"Yeah, Gir. Liam, this is Girmane. Gir, this is Liam."

The two looked at each other for a moment, the normally talkative Girmane rendered speechless. Gir pulled a bottle of some sort of bluish liquid out of one of his side pockets and drinking it a bit before inhaling.

"What? Did you, uh, say something?" Gir asked, looking at Liam.

Liam looked away, smiling to Marshall and himself a bit. Marshall was impressed; he didn't know Liam knew how to work it so well.

"Oh, one more thing. Apparently, we're playing tonight for the crowd."

"I thought the gig was cancelled?" Liam asked, looking at Gir.

"I thought so too. The owner of the arena wants us to play before the 'festivities' start."

Liam looked at Marshall again, not wanting to sing in such a violent place. Marshall put a hand on his shoulder, comfort showing in his eyes. Gir's eyebrows rose. The two weren't really...?

"Well. Let's, uh, set up, alright?" Gir suggested, leading the two backstage.

"Here we are."

Fionna nodded, looking around the blood red arena. She felt both psyched and completely nervous. Here she was, at the event of the year, and she was on a date with the most eligible bachelor in the land of Aaa. The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't stop fluttering around as she walked with Gumball to the middle row in the center of the bleachers. The best seats in the house. Gumball gave her a smile, and she smiled back, wanting this night to be perfect.

Gumball tried to keep himself for shaking. Here he was, at the most gory and violent event of the year, and he was on a date with the girl of his dreams. The whole realization of this fact made him feel like he was going to puke and excited at the same time. Peppermint Maid had gotten them the best seats in the house. He gave Fionna a smile and she smiled back. He hoped this night would be perfect.

"Welcome to the 42nd Heavy Metal Death-Match! For your viewing pleasure, we'd like to introduce your musical entertainment for the evening, Tarantula, and their cover of Heart Is A Hole!"

The announcer stepped away from the mic, music starting to play. Gumball could make out Marshall Lee on bass, and his friend Girmane on the drums in the dim light. He didn't know the person on guitar, and the singer walked on stage as red lights flashed in synchronization with the intro.

_"What do you do when the truth was a lie along?"_

The voice seemed so familiar, the singer's shadowed form clutching onto the microphone. The action wasn't in fear, but to show a form of belonging on the stage as his voice echoed eerily in the arena.

_"And where do you go to, when find the rights were always wrong?"_

The singer's bright red eyes could be seen in the dark, Gumball seeing that everyone else was hypnotized by his voice.

_"All this dying, I went through to live for you. And now, my..."_

The lights blasted on, Gumball seeing who it was singing.

"Liam?"

His friend was dressed in black and red, hair dyed and face pale. His friend's appearance scared him, making him wonder if Marshall had...transformed him into what he saw before him or if he was just playing the part. The sorcerer's eyes were the blood red irises he saw in the dark, and Gumball gulped as his friend continued into the chorus.

_"...Heart is just a hole, an empty space, that used to belong to you. But now, now that you're gone, my soul's turned cold. Nothing to fill this heart that's a hole."_

"That guy on bass? That's Marshall Lee!" Fionna shouted to Gumball in the screaming crowd.

"Y-yeah, I know! The singer is my friend Liam!"

_"What do you do when you think you know someone inside out? And where do you go to, when all of your faith turns into doubt? No time machine can turn the hands of the clock back again. My heart is just a hole, an empty space, that used to belong to you. But now, now that you're gone, my soul's turned cold. Nothing to fill this heart that's a hole!"_

The lights dimmed the instant the long note ended and started to echo, spotlight on Liam.

_"I still think of you when I close my eyes. Every time I do, oh, part of me dies."_

The lights blasted back on with a few balls of fire propelling themselves in the air as the guitar started playing again.

_"I still think of you when I close my eyes!"_

The guitarist went on to play their solo as Liam held the last note for a good few seconds and the guitarist continued his part. Gumball saw Fionna grinning and jamming out with the crowd, and smiled a bit, letting himself get loose. Well, get a bit looser than what he was normally.

_"My heart...is just a hole, an empty space that used to belong to you, but now, now that you're gone, my soul's turned cold. Nothing to fill this heart that's a hole! My soul's turned cold. Nothing to fill this heart that's a hole."_

The music went back to the intro style, Liam inhaling a bit.

_"What do you do when, the truth was a lie all along...?"_

The crowd cheered, Liam and his band mates getting off of the stage. Gumball saw the band take their seats in a pressbox of sorts after a few minutes, Liam now in a dark red top with black jeans and combat boots and back to his normal appearance, basically. As he saw his friend relax next to Marshall Lee, it made him wonder how Liam was going to take what's to come.


End file.
